E.A.G.L.E. This Cold Steel - Songs of the Eagle: A Demo Compilation CD

The 2023 compilation This Cold Steel - Songs of the Eagle: A Demo Compilation by the Canadian project E.A.G.L.E., released through Sword Productions, is a comprehensive archival release that gathers early and rare material from this Calgary-based black metal duo. Formed in 2014, E.A.G.L.E. (consisting of members Deadwing and Kaiser Vrilhelm) has gained a cult following for their unique triumphant black metal style, which frequently blends aggressive riffs with Heathen Rock and Oi! influenced melodies, a sound often compared to projects like Eisenwinter and Totale Vernichtung. The compilation is a massive collection that brings together the band’s most significant demo work into a single physical format. It includes the entirety of their notable 2021 demo Autumn Hearts in the Iron Winter, which features tracks like Love Beneath the Hanging and Zyklon-Beauty, alongside the Fortitude demo and other rare sessions. A highlight for collectors is the inclusion of the track Above It All, which showcases the band's shift toward more melodic, stoic songwriting. The release also documents their practice of covering influential underground acts, such as their version of Eisenwinter's Call Me NS Black Metal. Musically, the compilation captures the project’s raw evolution, moving from standard abrasive black metal toward what some fans call saccharine black metal, a paradoxical mix of harsh vocals and surprisingly bright, heroic guitar harmonies. The Sword Productions edition is a professional CD release that provides a permanent home for material that was originally circulated as extremely limited cassettes or digital files. For followers of the anti-modernist Canadian black metal movement, this compilation serves as a central document of E.A.G.L.E.'s first decade, preserving their blend of grim aesthetics and nostalgic, solar melodies.